Floor construction



Feb. 9, 1943. A. G. FELDMAN FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 m Hz 3 WWW flu f w 51% a 5 A w 3 5) 0\ f 6 M 5% 3 H n1943- A. G. FELDMAN FLOOR, CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 9, 1943 FLOOR CONSTRUCTEON Abraham G.Feldman, Chicago, 311., assignor to Storkline Furniture Corporation,Chicago, IlL,

' a corporation of Illinois Application May 22, 1940, Serial No. 336,560

roam-A01. 20 e) The present invention relates to floor construction andis particularly concerned with the construction of floors for the typeof furniture called a play pen for infants.

is characterized by the complete elimination of the use of nails orother fastening devices which pass through the floor and might at sometime be loosened in such manner that they might project from the top ofthe floor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved floorconstruction for play pens which is absolutely safe for use of smallinfants by reason of the fact that there is no possibility of any nailsor other fastening devices projecting upward from the floor at any time.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved play penconstruction-which is firm, capable of use for a long period of timewithout repair, foldable, and which is adapted to be manufactured at alower cost than the devices of the prior art, thereby placing thestructure within the means of a greater number of purchasers.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved floorconstruction which is adapted to support the infant at a point spacedfrom the ground when the play pen is used outside, so as to minimize thepossibility of invasion of the play pen by crawling insects from below.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved floorconstruction which can only be disassembled by moving the parts in oneparticular way, thereby assuring its firm assembly for a long period ofuse.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar views throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a playpen equipped with a floorconstructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the play pen;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the plane of the line3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plan of the line4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line5-5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

provided with a roller 32.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line6-6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line'l'i of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line88 of Figure '2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The present floor construction is preferably embodied in a play pen, ofa type such as exemplified by Figure 1, indicated in its entirety by thenumeral it. In this embodiment theiloor proper consists of a pair ofsections H and f2 which are hingedly mounted upon the fencesections 13and It which form a part of the play pen fence. 7

The play pen fence also includes the fence sections I'5l8 (Fig. 2) andthe'fence sections are preferably so arranged that they may be foldedtogether for the purpose of collapsing the entire play pen framework.

The end fence sections It and It may be similar in construction. Eachone consists of corner posts I9, 29, an upper rail 2!, a lower rail- 22.and a plurality of balusters 23-30. The upper and lower rails arepreferably formed with sockets for receiving the reduced ends of thebalusters 23-66 which are glued in their sockets, and the corner postsl9 and 2B are also preferably formed with sockets for receiving thereduced ends of the upper and lower rails 25 and 22 which are also gluedin their sockets.

The corner posts are all preferably provided with casters 3! rotatableon a vertical axis and The two centrally located balusters 2S and 21 mayserve to support a decorative center panel 33 and a plurality of wires34 having pierced wooden balls 35 of .different colors forming an abacusfor use of the occupant.

The corner posts is and 2! are preferably squared in section andprovided with an upper rounded end 36 and on the side toward thesections l6 and H they are provided with the metal bearing brackets 3'5and 38. These bearing brackets are fixedly secured to the corner postsby rivets, screws, or other convenient fastening means. Each bearingbracket has a vertically extending attaching flange and a horizontallyextending flange provided with a pin 39 (Fig. 2) engaged in a hole inthe upper and lower rails 48 and M of the sections it and H.

The structure at the other side M of the play pen may be substantiallythesame. "'I'he'sections l1 and i8 are similar to each other and to thesections l and I6. Each of these sections comprises an upper rail 46 anda lower rail 4|. These rails are joined by a plurality of balusters 4246joined tothe rails in the manner just described with respect to theother balusters and rails. By virtue of the brackets 31, 38 and pins 39,the upper and lower rails 40, M are pivotally mounted on the cornerposts l9 and 25.

The sections 1! and 18 are hinged together by means of metal hinges at50, 5| in such manner that the two sections move inward as they pivot,and are fixedly held against further movement by the abutment of theirends when they reach the position of Fig. 2.

The two sections l5, l6 are arranged in a similar way, thereby making upthe complete fence.

Each of the floor sections II and i2 preferably comprise a plurality, inthis case three, transversely extending frame members 5251. The floorframe members 52-54 secure together the floor boards 56-62 of the floorsection l2, and the other frame members secure together the floor boardsof the other section II.

Thus the frame members 52-51 are long enough to extend only half wayacross the floor of the play pen when combined with the end rails 63, 64of the floor sections, which are located at the middle of the floor, andwhich have a clearance 65 between them.

The two floor sections H and I2 may be identical in construction, exceptthat one has the pins 66 of wood or metal fixedly secured in a rail 63,while the other has enlarged cylindrical sockets 61, which receive thesepins in the other rail 64.

The clearance of the socket 61 over the pin 66 is such that the pins arepermitted to pivot upward in the sockets as the two floor sections arefolded upward until the pin moves out of the socket.

Each of the floor frame members 52-51 has a reduced end portion 68 ofrectangular cross section which is adapted to be received in a socket 69of similar form in the rails 63, 64.

The frame member has its end glued in its socket. Each of the framemembers 52-51 is of the shape shown in section in Fig. 8, having a bodyportion 16 of substantially rectangular cross section and an upwardlyextending rib 'II of dove-tailed shape; that is, the upwardly extendingrib preferably has a fiat upper face at 12 and outwardly beveled sidefaces at l3, l4. Each of the floor boards 58-62 is preferably providedwith a dove-tailed socket l5, complementary in shape to the rib portion"H, and having a close frictional fit on the rib. Each of the floorboards preferably has its edges and ends rounded and free of any sliversor splinters of any kind, and the wood is particularly chosen for itsstraight grain and lack of tendency to splinter. The varnish also servesto minimize any tendency toward splintering.

The floor boards 58-62 are assembled with the frame members 52-54 byhaving the rib portions H passed endwise into the sockets 15 of thefloor boards. The sockets are located on the lower sides of the floorboards, and thus the upper sides of the floor boards are smooth and freeof obstructions of any kind.

The Width of the floor boards is preferably such that there is a slightcrack or clearance between each pair of fioor boards. The floor also hasits center floor boards 62 provided with a finger aperture 16 for use inraising the floor sections to the folded position.

Two of the corner posts, such as, for example, corner post 19 (Fig. 1)may be provided with a turn-buckle 11 for holding the floor section 12in upright position against the adjacent fence section when the pen isto be folded.

The floor sections H, I2 are preferably pivotally secured on the fencesections l4 and I3, respectively. Thus the lower rail 22 (Fig. 4) may beprovided with a hinge, having a flat attaching flange H, a pintle l8,and a downwardly extending flange 19, and also a horizontally extendingattaching flange 80 for the fioor section II.

The attaching flange 80 is preferably secured to one of the framemembers and 51, and hinges are preferably employed between each of theseframe members and the lower rail 22.

It will be apparent that as the pintle i8 is located near the top of thefloor, the fioor sections can fold up flatly against the fence sectionsl4 and I3, to be secured by the turnbuckles Tl.

At the joint between the floor sections the floor is preferablysupported by a pair of angle iron brackets BI, 82. These brackets aremade of sheet metal, having two flanges, one flange 83 extendingvertically, and one flange 84 extending horizontally. Both flangespreferably have their ends rounded at 85, and the vertical flanges aresecured to the lower rail 4| of the side sections I! and I8, and I5 and[6, by means of the same rivets 86, which secure the hinges 5| to thesesections. a

The height of the horizontal flanges 84 of F these brackets 8!, 82 issuch that they engage the lower side of the end rails 63, 64 of thefloor sections and support the floor in horizontal position.

Similar brackets are provided for supporting both ends of the rails 63and 64 of the floor sections, and thus the floor is firmly supported atthe center by means of the side fence sections I5-l8. i

The side fence sections serve as trusses for supporting the centralportion of the floor, and the lower rails 4| are placed in tension,while the upper rails 40 are in compression. By this means the floor issupported in spaced relation to the ground, and the possibility ofcrawling insects reaching the interior of the play pen is v minimized.

V The play pen may also be used where the ground is damp, withoutpossibility of the fioor becoming damp also, as it is wholly supportedby the four corner posts of the play pen.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved play penconstruction, having a floor which is assembled wholly without the aidof any nails that might loosen and project from the top of the floor. Nometallic securing devices of any kind need be employed on the floor, andthe floor is thus adapted to be maintained smooth and in harmlesscondition throughout its entire life. r

The floor can only be taken apart by moving the floor boardslongitudinally on the dovetailed rib portions 1 I, and thus there is nopossibility of the floor coming apart. Glue flmay be employed, ifnecessary, in securing the separate floor boards to the frame members atthe dovetailed groove, or the dove-tailed groovemay hold the floorboards in fixed position by. virtue of its structure and the frictionalfit.

My floor construction can bemanufactured at a much lower cost than anyof the devices of the prior art on account of the fact that there is nonecessity for handling the large number of nails which would otherwisehave to be employed.

The floor may be assembled with a minimum amount of labor, and whenassembled it is accurately square and adapted to fit the play pen anddetermine its contour.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In a floor construction for play pens for infants, the combination of aplurality of transverse frame members, said frame members being providedwith a large body section engaging below floor boards and with anupwardly extending dove-tailed formation of substantially uniform crosssection throughout its length and a plurality of floor boards, saidfloor boards being provided with complementary dove-tailed shapedgrooves on their lower sides for slidably receiving and frictionallyholding the dovetailed formations on said frame members, the floorboards being assembled with the frame members and held in predeterminedposition with respect to each other by frictional fit of said groovesand formations, said floor also having an end rail provided withsockets, and said frame members being provided with reduced end portionsfor fixed reception in said sockets whereby the end rail is secured tosaid frame members.

ABRAHAM G. FELDMAN.

